Envelope-sealing device



1927. June 14, GRAY ENVELOPE SEALING DEVICE Filed July 6, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 June 14 27- E. E. GRAY ENVELOPE SEALING DEVICE Filed July26. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

. ILHEB E. GRAY, OI LYN N, MASSOHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO

THE ELLIOT! ADDRESSING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU-SET'IS.

ENVELOPE-SEALING DEVICE.

Application filed July 26, 1988. Serial No. 654,012.

This invention relates to envelope sealing machines of the typecharacterized by having means adapted to receive a plurality of unsealedenvelopes and a rotatable drum or other means adapted to engage theenvelopes and pass them successively through a flapsealing device.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed with means to remove the sealed envelopes from theflap-sealing device at a speed greater than the speed of entry of theunsealed envelopes to the flap-sealing device whereby to prevent thejamming of envelopesin the machine and expedite the speed of operationthereof.

A further object is the provision of the above set forth speedincreasing means as an attachment to existing envelope-sealing machines.

The flap sealing device of a machine to which this invention relates mayinclude a flap-moistening roll, which roll is adapted to rotate in abath of water and in contact with the ummed portion of the flap. Theroll, usua 1y, is relatively small in diameter and is caused to rotateat relatively rapid speed and. as a consequence, has a tendency to throwoft water. A further object of this invention is to prevent such action.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail illustrating the various parts oftheapparatus and partially sealed envelope disposed therein.

Fig. 4is a transverse sectional detail of the operating drum andillustrating more particularly the character of the envelopeengagingperiphery thereof.

Fig. 5 is a plan detail of one of the resilient bands carried by thedrum and adapted frictionally to engage the envelopes.

Fig. 6 is a plan detail of the flap-moistenin device.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the speedinereasing means embodying theinvention.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the support 0 the speed-increasing means.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional detail taken through thewater reservoir and.

roller of the flap-moistening device.

Fig. 10 is a. detail, in'plan view, of the fla moistening device. Ishere shown, the machine embodyin the mventlon may comprise a supportinguse 10 upon WhlCh are disposed two spaced standards 11, which standardsare adapted to support an operating shaft 12; and said shaft may have ahandle 13 secured thereto by wh1ch the demos ma be operated. A

drum 14, which preferab y has a relatively large diameter, is or may befixedto said shaft 12, and disposed between said standards. A pluralityof resilient, as rubber, bands 15 may be disposed in spaced relationabout and on the periphery of. said drum. Said bands may be providedwith raised portions or projections 16 which are adapted to engage theenvelopes frictionally and move them through a flap sealing devicehereinafter to be described. The envelopes are adapted to be contained,face down, upon the bottom wall 17 of an envelope rece tacle and saidreceptacle may be adjustab y supported on supporting rods 18, which rodsare or may be secured to the standards 11. Said envelope receptacle ispreferably inclined downwardly toward the drum 14 and suitably spacedtherefrom.

A cross-member 19 is or may be extended between and secured to saidstandards 11 said drum. Said springs are adapted to engage the envelopestack in the receptacle and permit single envelopes to be moved beneaththe springs by the drum and to a flap-moistening device. Saidfiap-moistening device may comprise a reservoir adapted to contain asupply of water and a roller immersed in the water and adapted to berotated by and in contact with the gummed surface of the envelope flap,whereby to moisten the gummed sur a The flap-moistening device mayinclude a plate23, which is or may be supported by and below saidcross-member 19 and in a position above and substantially parallel tothe 11. Said plate may e formed with a slot riphery of the drum 23therein through which the flap-moisten ing roller is adapted toprotrude. A water reservoir may be secured to the lower face of saidplate below the slot 23 therein s form, is or may be and extend beneathsaid opening 24 in said plate. Said aperture is adapted to place saidwater reservoir in communication with an inverted water bottle 25 andmaintain constant the water level in the reservoir in a well knownmanner. A fiapmoistening roller 26, preferably of conical rotatablysupported in said water reservoir, and partially immersed in the watertherein. and extend through said slot 2i above the upper face of-saidplate 23. Said roller 26 is adapted to be rotated at a relatively rapidrate by the gummed face of the envelope-flap, with which it is engaged,and has a tendency to pick up an excessive amount of water and throw itoff by centrifugal force.

In accordance with this invention means are provided to prevent-suchaction and to this end said plate 23 is formed or provided with a raisedlip 23". at one edge of said slot 23". which lip is adapted to becontiguous to but not in actual contact with said roller and beco-extensive the length thereof. As thus arranged, said lip serves toscrape off an excessive amount of water from the surface of the rollerand leave thereon only a thin film which is adapted to be taken up bythe gummed face of the envelope-flap. Preferably also. said plate 23 isformed or provided with a second, or rear, raised lip 20- which isadapted to form a supporting member for the envelope-flap as it passesover the roller. and said second lip may serve as a barrier to catch anywater which may be thrown off by said roller.

A member 28 is or may be secured to said plate 23 in a position aboveand may have members disposed on opposite sides of said roller 26: andsaid member is adapted to press the flap of an envelope. against saidroller whereby as the envelope is moved over the roller. and as theroller rotates the glue on the flap of the envelope will becomemoistened. As said drum 14 is rotated, it is adapted to engage thebottommost envelopes of the stack of envelopes contained in thereceptacle and move them successively beneath the springs 20 and throughthe flap-moistening device in such a manner that the flap of theenvelope is or may be disposed above said plate 23 and the body of theenvelope therebeneath, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The moistened flap and unsealed envelope is passed from theflap-moistening device to the flap-sealing means. Said flap-sealingmeans may include the speed-increasing means hereinafter to be describedand a pressure spring 30 which is adapted to press the moistened flaponto the body of the envelope as the envelope passes beneath; and thesealed envelope is adapted to drop into the lower receptacle 31.

In accordance with this invention, means plate beyond an are provided towithdraw the moistened envelopes from the moistening device and passthem through the flap sealing means at a greater speed than they aremoved to the flap moistening means by the drum 14, whereby to separatethe successive envelopes from each other as they are moved through themachine and thereby prevent the superposition of successive envelopes inand the jamming of the machine. Said speed-increasing mcans may includea frame which is or may be formed or provided with the two upstandingand spaced arms 36. Said frame may have a depending lug 37 whichpreferably is formed or provided with the recess 38 therein. A resilientsupporting member as the spring strip 39 is adapted to be received insaid recess and secured to said lug 37 in any suitable manner as by therivets 40. Said spring member 39 is or may have a reflexed lower endportion 41 which is adapted to be secured to the base 10 of the machine.Said spring member is or may be biased to urge said frame constantlytoward the drum 14 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. A. lowerroller 45 is or may be disposed between and journallcd in the arms 36 ofsaid frame. Said roller may be formed or provided with an annularpcripheral of in which a resilient rubber or equivalent ring 46 isreceived frictionally.

A second roller 47 is or may be disposed between the arms 36 of saidframe in a position above said first roller 45. The shaft= ends 48 insaid roller 47 are preferably received in vertically elongated slots 49of said arms 36 and are journalled in said slots. Said roller 47 may beprovided with an annular peripheral groove 50 in the middle portionthereof and said ring 46 of the roller 45 is adapted to be received insaid groove and bear against and be in driving engagement with saidroller 47.

Means are or may be provided to urge said roller 47 into constantfrictional driving relation with the rin 46 of said roller 45. Saidmeans may include annular grooves 51 formed on the extended ends of theshafts 48 of said roller 47 and similar grooves formed on the extendedends ofthe shaft 52 of the lower roller 45. Helical springs 53 may beextended between and received in the said grooves on opposite sides insaid rollers and said springs are or may be arranged to draw andmaintain said upper roller 47 into frictional driving engagement withsaid lower roller 45. Said roller 47 is adapted to be driven by thelower roller 45. The diameter of the reduced or grooved portion 50 ofsaid roller is adapted to be materially less than the diameter of theenvelope-engaging face thereof and, consequently, the linear speed ofsaid envelopeengagmg face will be materially greater groove in themiddle portion therethan the linear speed of the driving ring 46 of saidroller 45. Said resilient supporting member 39, as above stated, isarranged to urge the frame 35, and the rollers, toward the drum 14.whereby to maintain the driving ring 46 of said lower roller 45 indriving contact with said drum. Said lower roller thereby serves totransmit the rotation of said drum to said upper roller and, by reasonof the speed-up arrangement, the envelope-engaging face of said upperroller will be driven at a linear speed which is materially greater thanthe linear speed of the periphery of the drum. Said flap-sealing spring30 is or may be arranged to press the moistened flap against the body ofthe envelope on said upper roller, as said envelope is moved beneathsaid spring, whereby to seal the envelope. Said spring 80, in

addition to pressing the moistened flap against the body of theenvelope, also serves to press the envelope against the. roller 47 fordriving engagement therewith; and said spring may be disposed to bearagainst the envelope somewhat to the'rear of the point of contact of theenvelope and roller. whereby to bend the envelope about the roller andincrease the arc of engagement therewith, whereby to enhance the drivingengagement.

The spacing between the flap-moistening and the sealing means is or maybe such that the envelope is moved by the drum 14 partiall through thefiap-moistening means before eing engaged by the driving roller 47 ofthe flap-sealing means. Due to the increased linear speed of said roller47, the envelopes are removed from the flap-moistening means and arepassed throu h the sealing means at a speed which is a apted to bematerially greater than their speed of entry to the flap-moisteningmeans and, consequently, the successive envelopes .will be separatedfrom each other by a substantial distance.

By this arrangement, the speed of operation of the machine may bematerially increased without liability of the envelopes becomingsuperimposed upon each other at or between the flap moistening andsealing means and, consequently, the efliciency of the machine isenhanced.

The structure may be otherwise modified without departing from thespirit of the invention. 4

. I claim:

1. An envelope-sealing device having flapmoistening and sealing means, arotatable to engage and move successive envelopes to said means, and adriving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopes fromsaid means at a speed reater than the speed of movement of saldenvelopes to said means.

2. An envelope-sealing device having a fiap-moistening device, means tofeed an envelope to said device at a certain speed, and means to removesaid envelope from said device at an increased speed.

3. An envelope-sealing device having flapiuoistening and sealing means,a rotatable drum. arranged to move successive envelopes to said means,,and a driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopesfrom said means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device having driving engagementwith said rotatable drum.

' 4. An envclopc sealing device having flapmoistening and sealing means,a rotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means,and a driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopesfrom said means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device including a driving rollerarranged to engage the envelopes having driving means actuated by saidrotatable drum to drive it at a linear speed greater than that of saiddrum.

5. An envelope-sealing device having flapmoistening and sealing means, arotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes .to said means, anda driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopes fromsaid means at, a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device includlng a driving rollerarranged to engage the envelopes and a second roller having drivingengagement with said driving roller and drum, said rollers arranged toimpart a linear speed to said driving roller greater than that of saiddrum.

6. An envelope-sealing device having flapmoistening and sealing means, arotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means, anda driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopes fromsaid means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said drivin device including a driving rollerarranged to engage the envelopes and a secondroller havingdrivingengages ment with said driving roller and drum, said rollersarranged to impart a linear speed to said driving roller greater thanthat of said drum, and resilient means to urge said roller into drivingengagement with each other and with said drum.

' 7. An envelope-sealing device having flapmoistening and sealing means,a rotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means,and a driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopesfrom said means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means said driving device including a drivinerollerhaving an envelope-engaging and drlving face and a portion of reduceddiameter, and a second roller arranged in driving engagement with saidreduced portion and also with the periphery of said rotatable drum.

8. An envelope-sealing device having flapmoistcning and sealing means, arotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means, anda driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopes fromsaid means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device including a driving rollerhaving an envelope-engaging and driving face and a peripheral groove insaid driving face, and a second roller received in said groove andarranged in driving engagement with said driving roller and also withthe periphery of said rotatable drum.

9. An envelope-sealing device having flapmoistening and sealing means, arotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means, anda driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopes fromsaid means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device including a driving rollerhaving an envelope-engaging and driving face and a portion of reduceddiameter, a second roller arranged in driving engagement with saidreduced portion and with the periphery of said rotatable drum, andresilient means to maintain said rollers in yielding driving engagement.

10. An envelope-sealing device having flap-moistening and sealing means,a rotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means,and a driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopesfrom said means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device including a driving rollerhaving an envelope-engaging and driving face and a portion of reduceddiameter, a second roller arranged in driving engagement with saidreduced portion and with the periphery of said rotatable drum, means tomaintain said rollers in yielding driving engagement, and means to urgesaid second roller into driving engagement with said drum.

11. An envelope-sealing device having flap-moistening and sealing means,a rotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means,and a driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopesfrom said means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device including a frame, adriving roller rotatably supported by said frame and having anenvelope-engaging and drivin face and a reduced portion, a second rollerrotatably supported by said frame and arranged in driving relation withthe reduced portion of said driving roller, and means to maintain saidsecond roller in driving engagement ,biased in the face and a re withthe periphery of said drum-com rising means to urge said frame towardsaid drum.

12. An envelope-sealing device having flap-moistening and sealing means,a rotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to said means,and a driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopesfrom said means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device including a frame, adriving roller rotatably supported by said frame and having anenvelope-engaging and driving face and a reduced portion, a secondroller rotatably supported by said frame and arranged in drivingrelation with the reduced portion of said driving roller, and means tomaintain said second roller in driving engagement with the periphery ofsaid drum comprising a resilient supporting member for said framedirection of said drum.

13. A11 envelope-sealing device having flap-moistening and sealing'means, a rotatable drum arranged to move successive envelopes to, saidmeans, and a driving device arranged to engage and move successiveenvelopes from said means ataspeed greater than the speed of movement ofsaid envelopes to said means,,said driving device including a frame, adriving roller rotatably supported loosely by said frame, said rollerhaving an envelope engaging and driving face and a reduced portion, asecond roller rotatably supported by said frame and arranged in drivingrelation with the reduced portion of said driving roller, means tomaintain said rollers in driving relation comprising springs associatedwith said driving roller and arranged to urge it toward said secondroller, and means to hold said second roller in driving contact with theperiphery of said rotatable drum.

14. An envelope-sealing device having flap-moistening and sealing means,a rotatable drum arranged-to move successive envelopes to said means,and a driving device arranged to engage and move successive envelopesfrom said means at a speed greater than the speed of movement of saidenvelopes to said means, said driving device including a frame, adriving roller rotatably supported loosel by said frame, said rollerhaving an enve ope engaging and driving duced portion, a second rollerrotatably supported by said frame and arranged m driving relation withthe reduced portion of said driving roller, means to maintain saidrollers in driving relation comprising springs associated with saiddriving roller and arranged to urge it toward said second roller, andmeans to hold said second roller in drivin contact with the periphery ofsaid rotata le drum comprising a resilient supportin member for saidframe biased toward sai drum.

can lower rollers rotatably mounted in said frame, said lower rollerarranged to drive said upper roller at increased speed and be driven ysaid drum, said upper roller-disposed in position to receive envelopesfrom said flap-moistening device, and a flapsealing device disposedabove said upper roller.

16. An envelo g device ha a flap-moistening' evice, a rotatable dru rbis posed beneath and arranged to move suocessive envelopes to saiddevice, a frame disosed at one side of said drum, upper and ower rollersrotatably mounted 1n said frame, said lower roller arran to drive saidupper roller at increase speed and be driven by said drum, said upperroller disposed in position to receive envelopes from saidflap-moistening device, and a flapsealing device comprising a sprindisposed above said upper roller arrange to press the moistened flaps ofthe envelopes against the bodies thereof on said upper roller.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

. mma E. GRAY.

